Player of the Year
BRANDON McDOWELL, FRANKLIN
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: P
NOTES: All-state 3-A southpaw went 11-2 with a 1.98 ERA through state championship series while batting .371 with seven homers and eight doubles. Will be joining state championship MVP Ray Gill at Western Carolina next season.
Coach of the Year
JEFF GRAHAM, FRANKLIN
YEAR: Fourth.
NOTES: Took Panthers to first-ever state 3-A title in dramatic fashion, as Franklin came back from being three runs down and one strike from a Southern Durham sweep, ending the season 23-4 with a group of seniors.
First Team
REID PRICE, ROBERSON
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: P
NOTES: Had a big hand in two combined no-hitters with nasty off-speed material, going 9-1 on the season with a 1.40 ERA and 91 Ks while batting .348.
CALEB McCONNELL, TUSCOLA
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: P
NOTES: Ace of a squad that surprised a lot of people had four losses in nine decisions coming against Roberson, Smoky Mountain and Franklin. Had one save and a 1.63 ERA.
AARON AIKEN, ROSMAN
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: P
NOTES: All-state 1-A hurler went 7-2 with four saves and a 1.18 ERA including two no-hitters. Hit .462 at the plate for 16-5 team that finished eighth in state coaches� poll.
LANCE PACE, OWEN
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: P
NOTES: All-state 2-A selection went 7-2 with a 1.14 ERA on 14-12 team that won Western Highlands Conference and lost in Western Region finals to eventual champion Shelby.
JARED GREENWOOD, FRANKLIN
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: C
NOTES: All-state 3-A backstop is heading to South Carolina after banging out 12 doubles and nine homers with a triple for 36 RBI and a .410 average at the plate.
JOSH CAMERON, NORTH HENDERSON
YEAR: Junior
POSITION: 1B
NOTES: Also caught and pitched for Knights with a .461 batting average, earning his second straight selection to the 2-A all-state team. His 32 RBIs were in part out of eight HRs.
KENNY SMITH, ROBERSON
YEAR: Junior
POSITION: 2B
NOTES: Rapped out 41 hits in 24 games to average .482 while fielding at a .936 clip. Was successful in 11-of-12 steal attempts to earn All-Mountain Athletic Conference honors.
WILLIE JONES, REYNOLDS
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: 2B
NOTES: Performed leadoff role by the book, cracking 12 doubles and a triple while batting .448 and going 16-for-16 on steal attempts. One of two Rockets on All-MAC team.
CLINT RAMSEY, NORTH BUNCOMBE
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: SS
NOTES: Switch-hitter batted .481 with six doubles, a triple and six homers, driving in 22 runs while holding a .980 fielding percentage. Will close games at WCU with 90 mph fastball.
MIKE EDWARDS, MADISON
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: SS
NOTES: Led Patriots to first playoff win in 17 years, hitting .563 with eight homers to hold down a 1.250 slugging percentage. Committed only two errors at short all season (.978).
JAKE LUNNEN, SMOKY MOUNTAIN
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: 3B
NOTES: Batted .480 with 12 doubles, a triple and five homers for 30 RBI. As a pitcher with great control, he had a 72-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio for the season and 200-to-38 for his career.
CHRIS PRICE, ROBERSON
YEAR: Junior
POSITION: OF
NOTES: Brought home 39 runs with seven homers and two doubles, batting .493 to earn MAC Player of the Year award. Good range in outfield gave him a .917 fielding percentage.
PATRICK BRACKETT, HENDERSONVILLE
YEAR: Sophomore
POSITION: RF
NOTES: All-Smoky Mountain Conference selection in right field batted .364 with 25 RBIs among six home runs � two in one game with rival Polk County - and four doubles.
ADAM GRINDSTAFF, McDOWELL
YEAR: Junior
POSITION: OF
NOTES: Earned first-team All-Northwestern Conference honors with six round-trippers and seven doubles for 23 RBIs, batting .329 and fielding at .953.
CRAIG YOUNCE, FRANKLIN
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: OF
NOTES: Panthers� center fielder heading to WCU on football scholarship. Has great speed on the bases, batting .407 with six doubles, three homers and 16 RBIs.
NICK HENSLEY, ASHEVILLE
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: DH
NOTES: All-MAC hitter batted .432 with two home runs and 20 RBIs. Plans to play collegiate ball at King College in Bristol, Tenn.
Second Team
JOSH WRIGHT, NORTH HENDERSON
YEAR: Junior
POSITION: P
NOTES: All-state 2-A selection and WHC Player of the Year had 100 Ks and only 13 BB in 70.1 innings with a 1.2 ERA. Drew 10 walks at the plate with a .333 average.
BRANDON HENRY, ERWIN
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: C
NOTES: Batted .434 with eight doubles, eight home runs and one triple, knocking in 27 runs for the 8-14 Warriors.
MARK MAENNLE, SWAIN COUNTY
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: C
NOTES: Maroon Devils� backstop would make a great DH as well, hitting .487 (.591 against SMC opponents) with five doubles, seven HRs and 21 RBIs to become SMC Player of the Year.
RAY GILL, FRANKLIN
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: IF
NOTES: State 3-A championship series MVP batted team-high .422 with seven doubles and seven round-trippers for 34 RBI. Will join teammate McDowell at WCU.
JOSH HUDSON, POLK COUNTY
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: IF
NOTES: Heading to Surry Community College after batting .446 with 11 doubles, a triple, six homers and 31 RBI. Had .925 fielding percentage.
MITCHEL PRIDMORE, WEST HENDERSON
YEAR: Sophomore
POSITION: IF
NOTES: Falcons� best player, according to coach Jim Hyatt, drove in 24 runs on three homers and six doubles, batting .432 while fielding at a .953 percentage for 20-5 team.
GARY MORRIS, FRANKLIN
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: IF
NOTES: Batted .358 with 32 RBIs on five doubles, two triples and eight home runs, including dramatic shot to left in state 3-A championship game.
BRYAN LUNSFORD, HAYESVILLE
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: OF
NOTES: Batted .482 with 24 RBI to earn honorable mention in SMC. Sure glove in outfield with a .967 fielding percentage.
BRYAN MEDLOCK, ROBERSON
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: OF
NOTES: Rams� leadoff hitter was a confident .434 with seven doubles and one triple, batting in 14 runs and fielding at a .958 clip in center field.
RONNIE LEONARD, ROSMAN
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: OF
NOTES: Threw out four runners from center field while stealing 15 bases of his own, batting .384 with a homer and 12 RBIs.
HONORABLE MENTION
Asheville � Pee Wee Gash, Brooks Lambert-Sluder.
Brevard � George Alexander, Seth Hall, Jason Leopard, Dane Owen, Aaron Parker.
Carolina Day � Andy Sharpe.
Christ School � Eric Thorp.
East Henderson � Andrew Elder, Chris Romeo.
Enka � Andy Hamlin, Steven Smith, Justin Wilkins.
Erwin � Jeff Moore.
Franklin � Charlie Hyland.
Hayesville � Jeremy Salmon.
Hendersonville � Brandon Herman, Richie Jackson, Stephen Woody.
McDowell � Kyle Bailey, Justin Dalton, Drew Dillingham, Sterling Parker, Charles Young.
Murphy � Jeremy Bresch, Brian Smith.
North Buncombe � Ryan Klinger.
North Henderson � Daryl Horne, Jason Justice, David King.
Owen � James Eller, Jamal Harper, Shaun Hassler, Nathan Silvers.
Pisgah � Wesley Wells.
Polk County � Jordan Edwards, David Grigg, Eric Mack.
Reynolds � Casey Rice.
Roberson � Ryan Deans, Jason Fletcher, Kory Radford.
Rosman � Matt Delcueto, Matt Rice, Devin Wilson.
Smoky Mountain � Trent Dillard, Matt Hopkins, Dustin Melton, Justin Ray.
Tuscola � Mark Conard, Mark Golden, Lucas Grasty, Jonathan Merrell, Eryk McConnell, Michael Muñoz, Stephen Reinhold.
West Henderson � Kevin Allen, John Dunn, Billy McCarson, Justin Weeks.
Compiled by Phile Alexander